AusBonsai

G, day people I have been catching up on some chores that have got a little out of hand for various reasons. This is my way with my larger Melaleuca's.

I use hedge shears, and a blowtorch to preserve the wood.

So here is the tree in question it is a collected ( pre digital days ) Melaleuca rhaphiophylla, as you can see it is one of my larger trees.

Cheers Pup

FREEKIN SWEET

That is one very nice Tree Pup

Cheers
Pat

Hi Pup , a man after my own heart .They don't quite fit into the tool roll but i have used them on numerous occasions .That's a very nice specimen you have there , big tree's demand big leaf trimmers .Cheers Alpine

Hi Pup, It looks like someone shot Boris with a shot-gun!

This is a lovely tree, very strong. Are hedging shears really what you usually use to trim them? or is this just because it had grown 'out of hand' as you say?
Have you ever used the blow torch to singe leaves to see how they come back? I have done it with Leptospermum and wont do it again.

regards
Ash

Pup,

Why do you need to use a blowtorch to preserve the wood? Does it stop rot? Love the tree, though.

Glenda

Glenda wrote:Pup,

Why do you need to use a blowtorch to preserve the wood? Does it stop rot? Love the tree, though.

Glenda

G,day Glenda, when our tree's go though Bush fires ( which unfortunately happens too often ) there are two phases of burn. The soft burn that scorches every thing and moves on. Then there is the hard burn which causes so much destruction.
However this hard burn also turns the wood very hard, think of how our Aboriginal people make the tools and weapons they use, they use fire to harden the wood.
I have also found that to be the case with the wood of my tree's I have been using this method carefully I might add for 15 years now. Although I first used the blow torch on a native in 1988 as a public demonstration.
I was asked by a Victorian lady why I did it, I answered with it is a native that is how we get native jin, she was not convinced, but I still do it.

Cheers Pup

Excellent tree Pup, and great techniques!

Do you fully wire trees of this size? I imagine that it would take a serious amount of time.

Hi Pup,
Love your tools. Are they very expensive Japanese tools?

I really like your tree. It looks very nice indeed.

Regards Ray

thats an absolutely stunning tree, must be great to enjoy having that tree sitting in your backyard- great work and thanks for posting.

brett